Fiction & Poetry, Modern & Contemporary Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror , Science Fiction & Fantasy
Babel: An Arcane History
Hardback Published on: 01/09/2022
Price: £20.00
Bookseller Reviews
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One of the best books of the year!
I received this as an advance reader copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions my own.
Babel, or The Necessity of Violence: ... READ MORE
a fantastic historical fiction that uses fantasy to metaphorically explain British colonialism with the utmost prowess
R.F Kuang is no doubt exceptionally talented, and this Gothic, mid-19th century novel only proves that fact further.
Robin Swift has been taken by a Briti... READ MORE
Dark Academia fantasy as its finest!
Babel is a beautifully set fantasy revolving around the British Empire in the 1800s and the silver industry. With this book, it was hard to know where the ... READ MORE
A Dark Academia Epic
Enter Babel, the translation department at the University of Oxford where the best and brightest from around the world are sent to hone their languages and... READ MORE
Spectacular
Babel has made me so much more interested in language, translation and Orientalism (and made me miss studying Chinese!). Oxford was described so perfectly.... READ MORE
Enter Babel - the pinnacle of dark academia excellence.
Traduttore, traditore: An act of translation is always an act of betrayal.
Babel is a powerful, bold and ambitious, dark academia tale. An ode to language... READ MORE
This book feels like a big hug of cultural diversity!
Babel is new fantasy masterpiece that is sure to become a modern classic!As I was reading Babel, I felt like I was learning so much whilst reading a work o... READ MORE
Dark brooding academia.
I loved this book. Brilliant characters. A world so rich and detailed you’d think It was real. I was hooked from the first page. And wow oh wow , just what... READ MORE
Best Fantasy of 2022
‘Be selfish,’ he whispered. ‘Be brave.’
It has been about a month since I finished Babel, and I still don’t think I’m capable of expressing my thoughts ... READ MORE
A Masterpiece!
I am so beyond excited for all the people who are about to read this masterpiece. This book, you guys! Just wow!
First off, this is your book for this Au... READ MORE
Devastatingly Brilliant
Babel is a dark academia epic that takes us on a journey through displacement, friendship, and betrayal. This is an utterly captivating novel and a damning... READ MORE
Perfect from start to finish
I devoured all 500 pages in a day, which goes a long way in showing just how addictive and wonderful this novel is. The book is meticulously researched, th... READ MORE
Game-changing Excellence
In Babel, Kuang has blended fantasy and history so expertly I had to Google 3 separate times to make sure I hadn’t missed a large swathe of British history... READ MORE
New essential reading!
This is an instant classic. so much to take away from this and I will be thinking about it forever..
My absolute favourite book of the year!
I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of Babel from the lovely people at Harper Collins, however, I have struggled to put my many thoughts about t... READ MORE
Babel is simply stunning
Wow!
It's incredibly rare that I am left awestruck and exhausted after finishing a book. Babel is simply stunning.
Babel is a novel of intensity fr... READ MORE
The Dark Academia to end all!
I was hooked before Robin reached Oxford in chapter 3!
The research gone into this book is evident on every single page. There is so much detail, lots of ... READ MORE
A Must Read!
I absolutely loved this book!
Though be warned of the racial comments as I did feel myself needing to step away from the book a few times around them. ... READ MORE
2022’s best fantasy
Babel is magical, thought provoking and bold.
An absolute delight and triumph
R.F. Kuang does NOT disappoint with Babel, her standalone novel following The Poppy War series. I loved the premise of the novel before I even read it, but... READ MORE
Fiendishly addictive dark academia
I have mixed feelings about dark academia as a genre. It can often feel over explained, or dry, or boring.
This is not those things. The plot is excitin... READ MORE
A challenging, confronting and brilliant read.
This is a slow, steady and detailed tome about an alternate Oxford of 1836. Students are invited from around the world to help with translations which powe... READ MORE
Utterly Compelling
Like Philip Pullman for grown ups.
Set in a Steampunk, alternate Britain in Victorian times, this is a book about power, language and colonialism and the ... READ MORE
You need to read this book
Every so often a book comes along that is so close to perfect you don’t quite know how to put into words just how incredible it is.
If you have read any o... READ MORE
The Best Dark Academia Book Yet
R. F. Kuang is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors even though I always feel like I need a break after reading one of her books. Babel has cemente... READ MORE
It may not go down as my favourite book ever, but it may well be the best and most important book I've ever read.
Set 1830s England, the book follows Robin Swift, a Chinese boy taken from his mother land to go to university in Oxford, where Britain's global economic an... READ MORE
Empire of magic
A brilliant story that sees the British Empire held together through the magical alchemy of Babel, the centre of translation at Oxford University, where ma... READ MORE
An Impressive Dark Academia Masterpiece
It’s been a while since I’ve felt a slight sense of fear when writing a review. In the few cases I can remember, one was because the book I had just read h... READ MORE
Changed my brain chemistry
Ahhhh this book
A genuine, clever epic
"Magnificent, isn't it?" Anthony sighed with satisfaction. "You never get used to the sight. Welcome to your home for the next four years, believe it or no... READ MORE
An absolute masterpiece
From the author of The Poppy Wars series, R.F. Kuang’s Babel, her highly anticipated first standalone novel, is a masterful blend of alternative history, d... READ MORE
Most original fantasy in ages
This is a book about the power of words (literally). In most "magic" , myths, legends etc words have power, but this takes that to another level.
In the T... READ MORE
Babel!
Bebel was enchanting with language-based magic. Conversations on race and the role of moving to and fitting into new societies, Kuang's fantasy had me hook... READ MORE
Like nothing I’ve read before
Reading this book felt like a commitment of the best kind. It was spectacular. As a lover of language and etymology (thank you Susie Dent), I was thoroughl... READ MORE
The best Dark Academia book I have ever read
Babel is not only one of my favourite reads of the year, but undoubtedly one of my favourite reads ever. Presenting the tedious yet the absolute obsessiven... READ MORE
My Book of the Year
Enormous, unafraid and frighteningly relevant, Babel is just as gigantic as the Empires it dissects— both the British and the one of academia. A mix of ch... READ MORE
The best book I’ve ever read
This book changed me. It educated me and opened my eyes to the darker side of academia and the pursuit of knowledge. The impact of colonialism is a key fea... READ MORE
Wow
What can I say? The most powerful and beautiful writing. A totally unique historical fantasy. I felt like I was back in Oxford (my home town), walking the... READ MORE
Pure magic with every word!
My first comment is that everyone should read this book!
What R.F. Kuang has done with Babel is use language and words to create a magical masterpiece of ... READ MORE
The power and beauty of words
‘Babel’ is set in the early Victorian time period, in an alternative world where Britain is a world leading power, due to its mastery of ‘silver-work’, a p... READ MORE
Babel!
A fantastic novel about the power of language! Perfect for fans of linguistics and dark academia. However, this novel is about much more than that. It also... READ MORE
A masterpiece
There is little I can say here that hasn't already been said in other reviews by fellow booksellers, so I'll be brief.
This book is easily one of the most... READ MORE
...the future, vague as it was frightening, was easily ignored for now; it paled so against the brilliance of the present.
In an alt-history 1800s, Oxford is the home to the worlds most important academic institution; a hub of languages, international relations and silverworkin... READ MORE
The hype is real and the hype is fully justified
It's ironically hard to find the words, and seeing as so many others already have done I'm not going to try to add much more, except to say that if you hav... READ MORE
Dark Academia at its best
Got an advanced reading copy of this, and was so excited to read it. Babel is a fantasy set in the British Empire of the 1800's. It is a great mix of fact ... READ MORE
Incredibly written!
RF Kuang writes the best characters. The depth of each of them astounds me. They were so incredibly real, I felt like I could relate to the characters so m... READ MORE
One of the best written books of our time.
Babel is my book of the year and I think it’s fitting that, during this particularly turbulent time, a book about corruption and power was my favourite rea... READ MORE
A Mastermind of Fantasy Literature
After absolutely loving TPW series from R.F Kuang, I was so happy when I heard about her newest release Babel, and it did not disappoint! An outstanding pi... READ MORE
My favourite book of all time
I first read this book in 2022 when I first started university. The way it captures the first generation immigrant experience of education astounds me eve... READ MORE
A masterpiece…
Babel is one of those books that lodges itself deep in your chest. I felt attached to Robin from the very beginning, it starts as a kind of coming of age s... READ MORE
A dark academia epic full of language, rebellion and emotional gut-punches. I genuinely couldn’t put it down.
Babel is one of those books that really sticks with you. I absolutely loved the main group—Robin, Ramy, Victoire, and (sometimes) Letty—and watching their ... READ MORE
I will be thinking about Babel for a very long time!
This book is a masterpiece. While it's the perfect autumnal dark academia read to have with a cup of tea on a foggy day, it is so much more than that. On t... READ MORE
Synopsis
A new dark academic fantasy by the New York Times bestselling author of The Poppy War.
Traduttore, traditore: An act of translation is always an act of betrayal.
Oxford, 1836. The city of dreaming spires. It is the centre of all knowledge and progress in the world. And at its centre is Babel, the Royal Institute of Translation. The tower from which all the power of the Empire flows.
Orphaned in Canton and brought to England by a mysterious guardian, Babel seemed like paradise to Robin Swift. Until it became a prison... but can a student stand against an empire?
An incendiary new novel from award-winning author R.F. Kuang about the power of language, the violence of colonialism, and the sacrifices of resistance.
Publisher information
- Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
- ISBN: 9780008501815
- Number of pages: 560
- Dimensions: 240 x 159 x 48 mm
- Weight: 810g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
View allIntelligently written
"Language was always the companion of empire, and as such, together they begin, grow, and flourish . And later, together, they fall."
Babel is a dark ac... READ MORE
A Struggle To Get Through At Times
In the years to come, Robin would return so many times to this night. He was forever astonished by its mysterious alchemy, by how easily two badly socializ... READ MORE
Ambitious, but flawed.
That R.F. Kuang is a great writer is not up for debate. She has an excellent understanding of the etymology of language, and this is a thoroughly researche... READ MORE
A good story but far too long!
I was sent a first proof copy of Babel by R.F. Kuang to read and review by NetGalley. This was a very interesting book regarding the intricacies of transl... READ MORE
A masterpiece.
'An act of translation is always an act of betrayal' — Babel, R. F. Kuang (2022).
Babel was one of my most anticipated reads of 2022, and it didn't disapp... READ MORE
A must-read!
Wow. Babel was an incredible book to read from start to finish. It's a piece of literature that should be read by everyone to understand the importance of ... READ MORE
Such great character building
Fascinating, clever and with such great character building, Babel is a story to be savoured. I buddyread this with a group of bookworms and loved our chats... READ MORE
A devastating portrait of the reality of revolution
5 stars
”Violence is the only language they understand, because their system of extraction is inherently violent. Violence shocks the system. And the sy... READ MORE
Right, enough spoiling it all. It’s enjoyable and if you are not a language freak or genre nerd… Go ahead!
I have to admit I have seen this book reappear in various ads, and emails from bookshops, publishers, etc. I am still unsure why I did not look into this s... READ MORE
Fascinating, insightful, brilliant.
If Kuang's Poppy War trilogy was epic in its imagination (which it was), this is epic in its detail. You'd be forgiven for thinking pages of lectures about... READ MORE
A Masterpiece
I read Kuang’s trilogy last year and after thoroughly enjoying that I decided to pick up Babel.
After finishing the book I stared at a wall for ten minut... READ MORE
Such a good read
Such an interesting lot of characters. From the main character Robin to his school cohort. Their relationships from the start to the bonding they did toget... READ MORE
Soul destroying
Babel absolutely devastated me! In the best way possible. Kuang has an impeccable way with words and it's even more evident here than it was in The Poppy W... READ MORE
Not for me
I feel like this was a very complex, multilayered and clever book which had a great deal to say, and I probably ought to have persisted with it since undou... READ MORE
Outside of my comfort zone and worth it
This is probably one of the most intimidating books that I’ve wanted to read and I am so happy that I pushed myself outside of my comfort zone and gave it ... READ MORE
A new favourite
Wow! This is such an immersive and fantastic read. I flew through the last half! This book had everything I wanted, fantasty magic, grounded theory, captiv... READ MORE
Don't believe the hype
I should have known this wouldn't meet my expectations although I should say my expectations were slightly tempered just by how ubiquitous this still is. I... READ MORE
Best book of the years
This book was so good! is one of those books you sit to read and when you stop you realise it hasn't been just 10 min but 5 hours, and you have to pee bad... READ MORE
What Is Happening In Oxford ?
Set in Oxford in the 1830's, a place of knowledge and learning. Standing tall is Babel tower, The Royal Institute of Translation, from which all the power ... READ MORE
a promise of a revolution
I thought long and hard about whether I should review this book, if it was my place to do so. There is so much that has been said, more eloquent and poigna... READ MORE
A masterpiece of a tome.
A skillful fantasy that critiques and unravels empire, class and race through the power of words.
An incredible read
This was an incredible read!
I’m not someone who usually reads dark academia, purely because I have read some of this genre before and never really lik... READ MORE
I have a Love/Hate relationship with this book
Set in the early 1800s, Robin Swift is brought to London by Professor Lovell to train in Latin and Greek and eventually attend Oxford University, where he ... READ MORE
heartbreaking good
R.F. Kuang never disappoints and with this story she really captured the unfair and heartbreaking reality non white people have to suffer and how much you ... READ MORE
An amazing read!
It was very interesting to see this approach to a topic like colonialism.
Dark Academia weaving history and language into an incredible read
At first, I thought this book might be heavily linked to religion - the story about the tower of Babel was for me always linked to the bible. Not anymore, ... READ MORE
BABEL by R F KUANG
Overall, this was a well thought out excursion into a what if scenario, an alternative Nineteenth Century where magic is real. However it is the most rasci... READ MORE
Absolutely phenomenal!!!
Babel, or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution (Babel for short) is an impressively complex and ambitious boo... READ MORE
Dark and powerful
Dark and spellbinding. This story resonates power. Brought from his life of poverty in Canton to the dreaming spires of Oxford, Robin finds himself thrust ... READ MORE
Babel is startling good!
When I was only a little way into it, a friend asked how I was finding it and I told her it was "Better than it has any right to be." At that point it was ... READ MORE
The Dark Academia Masterpiece I NEEDED
“Language is just difference… And translation — a necessary endeavour, however futile, to move between them.”
Thank you to RF Kuang, Harper Voyager and Ne... READ MORE
One of the best books I've ever read
This book is a masterpiece. It is a fantasy with a familiar setting, with the addition of a few tweaks such as enchanted silver. The book begins in 1828 wh... READ MORE
One of the best books I've ever read and I learned so much
This book is a masterpiece. It is a fantasy with a familiar setting, with the addition of a few tweaks such as enchanted silver. The book begins in 1828 wh... READ MORE
Excellent dark academic historical fantasy
My thanks to HarperCollins U.K. Harper Voyager for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Babel Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translator... READ MORE
Contender for Book of the Year
Traduttore, traditore: An act of translation is always an act of betrayal.
Oxford, 1836.
The city of dreaming spires.
It is the centre of all knowledge and... READ MORE
a brilliant read
Wow this was a fantastic read. I loved every minute of this book. It was amazing and so very unique like nothing I had ever read before. I listened to the ... READ MORE
there hasn't been a day I haven't thought of this book
ever since I finished this book, it hasn't left my head, I am flat out obsessed with every page of it. it's so beautifully written and i noted done tons an... READ MORE
Swashbuckling & Academia? You better believe it!
Babel
By R.F. Kuang
This is my first time to read this author so I was not prepared for her mastery at storytelling. This is such an ambitious tale which ... READ MORE
Incredible
Imagine if waterstones let you edit your review properly? Anyway read Babel :)
A Masterpiece!
I actually finished Babel a week ago, but it has taken this long to work out how I feel about it. A fantasy set in an alternate 1800s Oxford, it charts the... READ MORE
Complex but compelling
Complex and pace struggles at times. But delivers with good characters and ideas
Great
Fantastic book, dealing with heavy themes and topics.
It never occurred to Robin to run, not then, and not once in the weeks that followed.
It never occurred to Robin to run, not then, and not once in the weeks that followed.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
I loved this book and i have no words to describe ho... READ MORE
Verified Purchase
Contender for my book of the year
I’m rendered almost speechless when contemplating this book and how to describe it adequately. A vastly reaching novel that will take time to sink in and w... READ MORE
.
I considered to DNF so many times, I thought I’d easily devour this book but I was mistaken because it was much harder to digest in so many ways. It challe... READ MORE
An amazing readc
There are some books that when you finish you just go ‘WOW’, and feel devestated the book is finished, for me Babel is one of those books. In Babel R.F. Ka... READ MORE
Say goodbye to the person you were before because now you’re cultured
It was eye-opening, it was gripping, it was moving, it was many adjectives. Rebecca Kuang has a wonderful way of making you fall in love with the character... READ MORE
No words for a book crafted about the power of words
Honestly the most beautiful and tragic book I have read this year. So incredibly crafted and realistic in a way that left me questioning what is the true h... READ MORE
Howww???
No words
Brilliant
This book is an amazing and well thought out novel with compelling themes and characters I adored. I couldn't put it down. I wish there was a little more o... READ MORE
Original
A very original and impressive piece of work. I enjoyed the second half more than the first and by the end I was very moved.
A masterpiece
Babel by R.F. Kuang is an exceptional work of fantasy that blends intricate world-building with a sharp, timely critique of colonialism and power.
The n... READ MORE
I'd give it 10 stars if I could
This book rewrote my brain chemistry
Translation is magic and magic comes from translation. Or, well, most specifically what is lost in translation. Whe... READ MORE
Epic and ambitious
Epic, ambitious, clever and evocative, it’s easy to see why Babel is so highly regarded on Bookstagram. Set in Oxford in 1836, the story follows Cantonese ... READ MORE
Heavy on the Translation
Verdict:
A dense but rewarding read with a powerful emotional finale.
What worked for me:
I enjoy historical settings, and this book presents a ri... READ MORE
A pleasant discovery
A good read.
Brutal and Necessary
So. First of all: Wow. Second of all: My Gods. Thirdly: This paragraph —
"Oxford at night was still so serene […]. It still looked like a city carved ou... READ MORE
Never read anything quite like this!
A story where you fall for the characters, you feel the pain they have been and are going through. After seeing this on Tiktok I changed my from my usual c... READ MORE
Babel
Easily the best historical fiction I have ever read. I genuinely devoured this book, and loved every single page. I cannot express into words the sheer amo... READ MORE
4.75 ⭐️ Babel Review
This is a book that I had been recommended many times. I'm very glad I finally picked it up!
Babel really pulls at your heart from the beginning.
Our ... READ MORE
And its' crumbling narrative
The Tower of Babel was a place where all the languages of the world were united under one, Adamic language. When the human hubris kindled the Divine wrath,... READ MORE